Lower Bucks Today

On September 17, 2024, Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Derek Kilmer (WA), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR), and Adam Schiff (CA) introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at combating fraudulent advertisements in elections. The AI Ads Act seeks to prohibit the fraudulent misrepresentation of political candidates or committees through content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and codify bipartisan recommendations made by the Federal Election Committee (FEC).

“Safeguarding the integrity of our elections is a responsibility that transcends party lines,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “As technology rapidly evolves, so must our defenses against those who seek to deceive voters and undermine our democratic process. Since my first day in Congress, I have made it my mission to champion election reform, and our bipartisan AI Ads Act is a decisive step forward in that fight. Our legislation will shield the American people from the dangers of deceptive AI-generated content, ensuring our elections remain free, fair, and true to the will of the American people. This is not a partisan or controversial issue—it’s about restoring faith and upholding the trust that voters place in our democracy, a commitment I will never waver from.”

Rep. Kilmer emphasized the importance of adapting laws to technological advancements: “In an era where artificial intelligence can blur the lines between truth and fiction, Congress should safeguard the integrity of our electoral process. The AI Ads Act, grounded in recommendations from the Federal Election Commission, would ensure that fraudulent misrepresentation in political campaigns, whether by humans or AI, is prohibited. By expanding the scope of these prohibitions, Congress has the power to fortify our electoral system against domestic and foreign manipulators. Our democracy deserves no less.”

Rep. Chavez-DeRemer highlighted both opportunities and challenges posed by AI: “Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming more powerful and popular, and while it certainly poses a lot of benefits and opportunities, it also brings significant challenges that we must address. As policymakers, it’s our responsibility to prevent harmful activity – especially activity that could negatively impact our democratic process.” She noted Oregon's proactive steps in establishing AI parameters for political campaigns.

“As AI tools begin to change political advertising in profound ways, our laws must adapt in turn,” said Rep. Schiff. “Election safety and AI experts agree – we need to protect ourselves from fraudulent misrepresentation of candidates, campaigns, or causes by AI.”

The AI Ads Act proposes several key measures:

- Extending prohibition on fraudulent misrepresentation for solicitation of funds or otherwise to content generated wholly or partially by AI.

- Revising prohibitions on campaign authority misrepresentation to encompass all individuals purporting to act on behalf of candidates and real or fictitious political committees.

- Removing requirements that fraudulent misrepresentations must pertain to matters "damaging" another candidate or party.

Craig Holman from Public Citizen commented on the necessity of this legislative effort: “‘AI Ads Act’ is a necessary legislative effort to address the growing problem of deceptive yet convincing deepfakes in campaign advertisements.”

Debra Perlin from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) added: “Disinformation and deepfakes are compromising the security and integrity of our elections... By prohibiting AI-generated fraudulent misrepresentations in political advertising in U.S. elections, the AI Ads Act takes an important step toward stopping disinformation.”

Virginia Kase Solomón from Common Cause stated: “All voters deserve access to trusted information about our elections... We encourage Congress to quickly pass this legislation.”

Trevor Potter from Campaign Legal Center stressed urgency due to upcoming elections: “The 2024 presidential election will be the first to see artificial intelligence widely used... This situation is urgent; Congress must pass the AI Ads Act.”

Carah Ong Whaley from Issue One remarked on public concern over potential misuse of AI: “Surveys show that a majority of Americans are rightly concerned that AI can be used to manipulate election outcomes... The bipartisan AI Ads Act is crucial for improving transparency."

Schiff’s bill has garnered support from multiple co-sponsors including Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), among others.

The bill also has backing from organizations such as Campaign Legal Center (CLC), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Common Cause, Issue One, Protect Democracy, and Public Citizen.

To read further details about this bill or FEC recommendations click [HERE].